Examine collaboration opportunities, and build capacity to work strategically and effectively in collaboration.

COLLABORATION

In an environment where funding is increasingly linked to the ability to work in collaboration, non-profit organizations find themselves committing to collaborations — on the fly — without taking the time to make thoughtful and informed decisions.

Heather Graham offers practical processes, tools and templates that support organizations to work effectively in collaboration:

  • Build awareness about what authentic collaboration means
  • Examine your experience with collaboration to date
  • Create an inventory of the type of collaborations you are currently investing in
  • Establish criteria to assess the value of existing and potential collaboration
  • Identify collaborations/alliances that align with your strategic priorities
  • Negotiate clear collaboration agreements with significant partners
  • Support staff to develop the skills required to build effective collaboration
  • Develop collaborative funding proposals with partners to leverage expertise and resources

Past Projects include:

  • Shared Governance and Decision-Making Frameworks for OHT’s, Physician Groups, and various Community Collaborations.
  • A Resource Guide for Hospital-Community Collaboration’ (with The University of Toronto on a grant from Change Foundation/Healthcare, Technology and Place Funding Alliance)
  • Report for The Wellesley Institute on ‘Service Delivery Collaboration in Toronto’
  • Report for the Ontario Trillium Foundation on ‘Strengthening Collaboration in Ontario’s Not-for-Profit Sector (key trends, opportunities and challenges in collaboration with recommendations for strengthening OTF’s support of collaborative practice)
  • Report for the Ontario Nonprofit Network on ‘Building Collaboration in and with the Nonprofit Sector’
  • On-line resource for the Ontario Community Support Association called “Collaboration Coach” (www.collaborationcoach.ca)
  • Collaboration Toolkit & Training for the United Way Toronto
  • Exploration of Collaboration Options for Community Legal Education Ontario
  • Community Collaboration Framework and Policy for Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto), Bluewater Health (Sarnia), and numerous community-based agencies
  • Collaboration/partnership development support for various Community Hubs across the Province
  • Collaboration Capacity Building Workshops for the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Ontario Nurses Association, Northumberland County, United Way Toronto, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres, Food Banks Canada, and City of Hamilton (Early Years Organizing Structure)
  • Collaboration Webinars for United Way Centraide, and the Ontario Coalition of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
  • Development of collaborative funding proposals for Toronto Neighbourhood Centres, and numerous community-based collaborations

Collaboration

“'Heather provided consulting and facilitation support to a community collaborative that I was involved in. We were feeling a bit stuck and tired, and she was invited to help build trust among partners, and create a safe and inclusive space for us to reflect, learn and grow together. At the end of the process, our partnership was strengthened, we had a shared understanding of what authentic collaboration looked like, and a clear roadmap of how to enhance our contributions and impact.

I was so impressed by Heather's skills that I subsequently reached out to her for leadership coaching. I have found our work together deeply meaningful and helpful to my personal growth as a leader.”
Catherine Yu, Primary Care and Health System Leader